Major Artifact Descriptions

The Moaning Diamond: The Moaning Diamond appears to be an uncut diamond the size of a human fist. At all times, it gives forth a baleful moaning sound, as if in pain. Despite the noise, the Moaning Diamond is not evil. The wielder of the stone can, three times per day, call upon it to reshape earth and stone as if by the spell stone shape, affecting 5,000 cubic feet of material. The Moaning Diamond can summon an elder earth elemental with maximum hit points that serves the caster until it is slain. Only one such elemental can be summoned at a time; if it is slain, a new creature cannot be summoned for 24 hours.

The Orbs of Dragonkind: Each of these fabled orbs contains the essence and personality of an ancient dragon of a different variety (one for each of the major ten different chromatic and metallic dragons). The bearer of an Orb can dominate dragons of its particular variety within 500 feet (as dominate monster), the dragon being forced to make a DC 25 Will save to resist. (Spell resistance is not useful against this effect.) Each Orb of Dragonkind bestows upon the wielder the AC and saving throw bonuses of the dragon within. These values replace whatever values the character would otherwise have, whether they are better or worse. These values cannot be modified by any means short of ridding the character of the Orb. A character possessing an Orb of Dragonkind is immune to the breath weapon-but only the breath weapon-of the dragon variety keyed to the Orb. Finally, a character possessing an Orb can herself use the breath weapon of the dragon in the Orb three times per day.

All Orbs of Dragonkind can be used to communicate verbally and visually with the possessors of the other Orbs. The owner of an Orb knows whether there are dragons within 10 miles at all times. For dragons of the Orb's particular variety, the range is 100 miles. If within 1 mile of a dragon of the Orb's variety, the wielder can determine the exact location and age of the creature. The bearer of one of these Orbs earns the enmity forever of all dragonkind for profiting by the enslavement of one of their kin, even if she later loses the item.

Each Orb also has an individual power that can be invoked once per round at 10th caster level.

• Gold Dragon Orb: The owner of the gold Orb can call upon any power possessed by one of the other Orbs-including the dominate and breath weapon abilities but not AC, save bonuses, or breath weapon immunity-but can only use an individual

power once per day. She can use dominate on any other possessor of an Orb within 1 mile (Will DC 23 negates).

The Saint's Mace: This relic appears to be a simple, well-used cudgel, but its simple appearance hides great power. The saint's mace has a +5 enhancement bonus and functions as a heavy mace with the holy, lawful, and disruption special abilities. The wielder can project searing lightfrom the mace at will, at caster level 20th.

The Shadowstaff: This artifact was crafted centuries ago, weaving together the wispy strands of shadow itself into a twisted black staff. The Shadowstaff makes the wielder slightly shadowy and incorporeal, granting him a +4 bonus to AC and Reflex saves (which stacks with any other bonuses). However, in bright light (such as that of the sun, but not a torch) or in absolute darkness, the wielder takes a -2 penalty on all attack rolls, saves, and checks.

The Shadowstaff also has these powers.

• Summon Shadows: Three times per day the staff may summon 2d4 shadows. Immune to turning, they serve the wielder as if called by a summon monster Vspell cast at 20th level.

• Summon Nightshade: Once per month, the staff can summon a nightcrawler nightshade that serves the wielder as if called by a summon monster IXspell cast at 20th level.

• Shadow Form: Three times per day the wielder can become a living shadow, with all the movement powers granted by the

• Shadow Bolt: Three times per day the staff can project a ray attack that deals 10d6 points of cold damage to a single target. The shadow bolt has a range of 100 feet.

The Shield of the Sun: This +5 large shield, emblazoned with the symbol of the sun, allows the wielder to cast spells as if she were a 20th-level paladin with a Wisdom score of 20. The spells gained are cumulative with any existing spells per day that the character might have, even if she's already a paladin. The Shield of the Sun also grants spell resistance 15 to its wielder. It absorbs the first 10 points of damage from any energy attack (fire, cold, acid, electricity, or sonic). In return for all this, once per year the shield's owner must undertake a quest (no saving throw to avoid) at the behest of a lawful good deity.

A character who is evil or chaotic (LE, NE, CE, CN, CG) gains four negative levels if she attempts to use this artifact. Although these negative levels never results in actual level loss, they remain as long as the shield is in hand and cannot be overcome in any way (including restorationspells). The negative levels disappear when the shield is stowed or leaves the wearer's possession.